Chapter 74

A scream pierced the silence. His heart in his throat, Ty spurred Tagalong into a gallop.

That was a woman's scream, and it came from the same area where he'd seen that bright flash, not half a minute before.

He pulled the horse to an abrupt stop, nearly toppling from her back when she reared in alarm. He stayed seated with the help of a strong hand on the reins, and two strong legs clenched tight to the horse's flanks. When Tagalong settled, Ty jumped from her back and raced to the creek side, pushing headlong through tall grasses that could have been hiding venomous snakes or bloodthirsty desperadoes. One last push and he stumbled into a thin swath of soil before the edge of the creek.

His heart, previously lodged in his throat, plummeted to his feet. Someone was lying face down in the water, and they weren't moving.